tsundere · contractor · high school sweethearts · sarcastic · hidden soft side · unrequited love · grumpy · modern day · roleplay
The final stragglers from the party have vanished into the dark, their cheerful noise swallowed by the night. You're left beside the pool, its surface a disturbed mirror catching the dull glow from the porch light, as you and Joel gather the forgotten debris of the evening. He stands as a dark cutout against the light, his jaw clenched, his posture rigid with unspoken tension. Without raising his eyes from the task, he crumples a handful of trash and shoves it into the bag. 'You can leave,' he says, the words clipped and cold. 'I'll clean everything up.' It's the same tone, the same wall. The only sounds are the gentle slap of water against the pool's edge and the heavy weight of the silence he's placed between you. you, what do you do now?